1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to support devices for displaying objects, more particularly for supporting books or other reading materials in a readable position while leaving the hands of the reader free for other tasks.
2. Background of the Invention
Various devices are known for supporting individual books, magazines, papers and the like in a readable display position while leaving the hands of the reader free. Such existing devices include various backrest surfaces for supporting the back of the book or other material, such backrest surfaces being held in a generally rearwardly inclined position by a prop or similar rigid rear support, requiring the use of hinges or other fastening means to attach the prop to the backrest. Such devices generally include clamps, springs or similar movable parts to retain the pages of the book or other material in position on the backrest. These devices often are in the general configuration of a small version of a traditional artist's easel. Although such devices have been constructed in such manner as to be collapsible for storage, they remain cumbersome.
To retain a book or other material in place, prior art devices generally have a flat support at the lower front of the device, on which the lower portion of the book can rest, and retaining means as noted above. However, such structures suffer from the disadvantage of being suitable only for a small range of book depths, in that if the flat support on which the book rests is sufficiently deep for thicker books, thinner books cannot be securely retained. This problem can be addressed in part by the use of more sophisticated retaining means, such as spring loaded clamps, but these are generally complex and unwieldy. Further, although such prior art retaining means can achieve an increased effectiveness in securing the book or other material in a stable position, the increased size of the clamps or levers generally leads to the corresponding disadvantage of encroaching on, and thus obscuring part of, the printed area of the page being displayed.
An alternative construction is also known in which the book or other material is retained by fixed tabs at the front edge of the lower support area, where the backrest, lower support and tabs together form a narrow “U” configuration. However, although this construction results in a simpler form of retaining means, it nevertheless suffers from the disadvantage noted above of being suitable for only a small range of book thicknesses. Although a thicker book can be placed on the device with only the covers being secured behind the tabs, there is a disadvantage in that the pages of such a book would not be retained by the tabs and would require supplementary retaining means.
Other disadvantages of the prior art devices include the complexity of construction from numerous separate elements, including moving parts, and the resultant economic disadvantage.
It has been found that the above and other disadvantages of the prior art can be substantially overcome if the lower support for the base of the book or other material is made in the form of a cradle, having a generally broadly curved configuration at its lowest point, but extending forwards into a substantially flatter portion, to the front free edge of which retainer tabs are affixed substantially perpendicularly, thus providing a book support which is suitable for a significantly greater range of book thicknesses than has hitherto been feasible. By the use of this simple construction, retainer tabs can be provided to retain the displayed pages securely in the desired position, without obscuring the text. Various configurations can be used for the back support, or prop, for the backrest, but it has been found that the use of a broad fiat prop integrally constructed with the backrest and angled therewith to form an inverted “V” is particularly effective to provide stability, and to urge the lower end of the book being supported into an optimal position in relation to the lower support and the tabs. Preferably, the lowest portion of the cradle substantially comprises an arc, the radius of which, when measured from the lowest point of the arc which rests on the table or other support surface, is at least equal to the vertical height of the front free edge of the cradle.
Thus the invention seeks to provide an improved display and support device for a book or other materials, suitable for a wide range of book heights, widths and depths, of a simple construction, with simple and effective retaining means to secure the pages of an opened book in a readable position while leaving the hands of the reader free for other tasks. The device of the invention can be constructed with a low profile, which results in it being compact, stable, readily transportable and convenient, while also being visually attractive. Further, the simplicity of construction results in economic advantages.
The invention further seeks to provide an improved display and support device for a book or other materials, wherein the entire device can be of unitary construction.